In the words of Gordon Ramsay (not THOSE words!)...

[EverTheOptimist]

Week 8 - done!

Curiously, however, I'm not feeling the same sense of elation I was when completing previous weeks. It could be that I'm conscious I'm nearing the end, or that I'm having to be VERY protective of my knee in order to get through it. Anyone else found that Week 8 isn't as rewarding as it should be?

I decided to risk running outdoors again, having completed W8R2 in the gym on Monday. However, I found I just couldn't relax into this morning's run, despite the weather being nigh-on perfect (dry, a bit of a breeze, and just a hint of early morning sunshine). My knee was heavily strapped and I switched back to a flat-footed plod rather than trying front foot striking, but I was still wary of every slight signal from my knee that all was not as well as it should be. Still, I completed all 28 minutes, and ran just shy of 4km, which I'm perfectly happy with TBO.

Sitting here at lunch, slaving away on my keyboard, it doesn't feel too bad. Gone are the calves of steel and the Yuri Geller insteps, and all being well, W9R1 is on the agenda for Sunday morning. Only 3 left...

[Pamelamadingdong Graduate]

I'm feeling a bit deflated too. I've been doing well on a treadmill but listened to Laura and ventured outside for w8run 2 but couldn't even get through the first 10 mins (I did get to the 28 but had to stop a few times so it's round 2 tonight on the treadmill) I feel so close yet so far. Think I'd have to go back to wk4/5 outdoors. Not sure whether to continue to the end then start again outdoors. Shouldn't be feeling rotten about it as I couldn't have imagined running 28mins at the start of the year!

[LSBeech75 Graduate in reply to Pamelamadingdong]

Don't go back to week 5 - you're doing soooooo well. The end is so close & you're practically doing half an hour anyway - which is pretty damn amazing

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Sounds to me like you need a bit of a slowdown ( of the programme, not necessarily your running pace) . There is no need to finish the programme "ontime" - give your gammy knee a bit of time to repair itself, take another week to get to the end.

[LSBeech75 Graduate]

Yes!!! I've done runs 1 and 2 of week 8, but they were so blinking hard. Don't get my wrong I don't expect to float through these runs but I thought they'ed get a bit easier.

Maybe week 8 is meant to be rubbish so that we can save ourselves for an amazingly brilliant week 9??? Nearly there